We know they "can" do it when they want to. Will they "choose" to do it every night? That's the burning question with this team

[matter2003]

Last night, much like the game against the Stars showed this team can absolutely play the style of game Ruff wants them to play.  Tough, physical, all over the pucks, using their speed to disrupt defensively and cause issues in the offensive zone for opposing defensemen, crashing the net on rush chances and going there on long point shots to screen the goalie, etc...

I mean when Tage Thompson is crashing the crease and getting dirty goals while on the ground with bodies on top of him, you know the team received the message loud and clear.  But how long will it resonate with them?  One game, two games?  A week?  Can they sustain it?

The question then becomes "If you know this is what you are supposed to do, and you see the positive results when you play this way, then why don't you choose to do it every night?" 

Because if they choose to play like this every night, they would be a playoff team, no question.  Why do they choose not to do it? It's a choice. This team has to break their bad habits of only putting out effort and being willing to do the little detailed "hard" things right that don't show up in the box score when "things get tough" or "the coaches get on us" and make that their team standard on a nightly basis.  This shouldn't be something that gets them praised, it should be a given and what is expected of them on a nightly basis.  Mostly from the players themselves.  

Can this team finally hold themselves and each other accountable for playing this way on any given night?  

Can Ruff finally get through to them where all the other coaches have failed?  

Honestly, I am hopeful but I don't know...

Edited 2 hours ago by matter2003

[PromoTheRobot]

I think the opponent has something to say about whether we "do it" or not. 

[DarthEbriate]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think the opponent has something to say about whether we "do it" or not. 

It’s really a do it or do it not situation. There is no trying and then saying you did some good things. 

[mjd1001]

I think its part 'playing this hard' and half 'just how good are you'?

If you aren't good enough, you can push all you want and sometimes you just won't be 'good enough' to get to that spot quick enough, to be able to hold your ground in front of the opposing net, or to make that breakout pass from your own end where the difference in skill of having the puck go 1 inch from where you want it is the difference between you setting up a 2-on-1 for your team, or the pass getting intercepted and coming back the other way for a goal.

On the other hand, yes, some of it IS effort. Some of it is willing to DO things you don't want to..or do things you aren't used to doing but the coach is trying to drill through your head to do.

Oh, and then of course, as PTR stated above is the other team having a good game or an 'off' game, because you are competing against them.

Yeah, according to Lindy there are players not playing as well as he wants, but even then, is it "effort"?  Or is it "they aren't listening/being where they are supposed to be"?

San Jose was one of the worst teams in recent memory last year...yet almost 1 out of every 4 games they beat a 'better' team? was that they tried in 1 out of 4 games? Was it the other team didn't try in those games?  Its really a sliding scale every game, its a bunch of things combined.

Its a bit of all of the above.  

Edited 1 hour ago by mjd1001

[matter2003]

43 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I think its part 'playing this hard' and half 'just how good are you'?

If you aren't good enough, you can push all you want and sometimes you just won't be 'good enough' to get to that spot quick enough, to be able to hold your ground in front of the opposing net, or to make that breakout pass from your own end where the difference in skill of having the puck go 1 inch from where you want it is the difference between you setting up a 2-on-1 for your team, or the pass getting intercepted and coming back the other way for a goal.

On the other hand, yes, some of it IS effort. Some of it is willing to DO things you don't want to..or do things you aren't used to doing but the coach is trying to drill through your head to do.

Oh, and then of course, as PTR stated above is the other team having a good game or an 'off' game, because you are competing against them.

Yeah, according to Lindy there are players not playing as well as he wants, but even then, is it "effort"?  Or is it "they aren't listening/being where they are supposed to be"?

San Jose was one of the worst teams in recent memory last year...yet almost 1 out of every 4 games they beat a 'better' team? was that they tried in 1 out of 4 games? Was it the other team didn't try in those games?  Its really a sliding scale every game, its a bunch of things combined.

Its a bit of all of the above.  

Good enough to make the playoffs. Hell, they almost did that playing no defense and no goaltending. 

 

[Demoted]

I just hope Lindy keeps his foot on these guys necks until they can learn consistency. 

[Pimlach]

Consistently “playing hard “ has not been in the Sabres DNA for a very long time.  It will take time to get it there but last night was a good start. 

Ruff is pushing their buttons.  Healthy scratches, big performance by UPL, clean hard hits, fighting for the right reasons, crashing the net, better special teams.  
 

Now do it on the road against the Rangers.  Consistency is the key.  Winning will get contagious if they are  willing to do what it takes to win.  

Edited 30 minutes ago by Pimlach

[Doohicksie]

They beat an Ottawa team that, aside from Tkachuk, was soft was butter.  They were not very defensively hard to play against.  Most teams are.